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5 Reasons Lightweight Military Adhesive Fasteners Are Earth-Friendly

Posted on Thu, Aug 28, 2014

Fasteners effect Weight Reduction

Interested in reducing your carbon footprint? Reduce your boot size by swapping old-fashioned rivets and welds for lightweight, environmentally-friendly 3M fasteners.

And making the switch isn’t only good for the environment. It can also benefit your bottom line and product design.  

Below are five reasons why you should consider a lightweight option:

  1. Welds and rivets are heavy and they drag down more than your product. Less weight means increased energy-efficiency. This can save money and reduce strain on the environment.
  2. 3M Fasteners produce less waste. Rivets and welds produce more production waste than lightweight fasters. And a lighter-weight device takes up less space in the landfill at the end of its life expectancy.
  3. Products that use tape last longer.  Any time you drill a hole in a device or product you’re opening it up to decay and corrosion. Holes let in the elements. Using fasteners eliminates the need to drill holes in the product, helping it stay intact for a longer period of time. Longer-lasting products don’t need to be replaced as often, which makes them more earth friendly.
  4. Lightweight fasteners save on labor costs and reduce manufacturing time. Makingrivets and welds means you need to hire people to make them. Labor costs are reduced greatly by opting for lightweight fasteners, which are easier and more efficiently applied.
  5. Fasteners give you increased design flexibility. Lightweight fasteners are far more adaptable than other bonding techniques. They can be cut to different shapes and using them gives designers more leeway when it comes to their creations. More flexible attachment solutions equal more design options.

Choosing an attachment solution

When switching from old-fashioned attachment methods to lightweight fasteners it’simportant to ensure that the new fastening solution can stand up to the rigors and demands that your product will face. Gleicher Manufacturing experts can with you to help determine the best product for your needs.

Get tips from Gleicher: Design for Assembly in Electronic Device Manufacturing

While using a lightweight fastener offers numerous advantages, it can also present challenges, such as choosing the right adhesion to compensate for decreased substrate weight, the potential need for increased reinforcement and issues such as the need for heat and flame resistance. The right converter can help you navigate these challenges.

Starting a conversation with your converter early can potentially save you time and energy in the long run. Ensuring a successful partnership with your converter means asking the right questions. Gleicher experts created a free guide that outlines what you should ask during the R&D process to ensure you get the right fastening solution for the project.

Contact Gleicher today to get the conversation started. 

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